A role that gets bigger… women on election duty on voting day in Pune

Kopardekar said, “Women’s participation in politics and as citizens is growing. I believe that having women-only booths could really encourage women voters and make them feel comfortable.” With that she got up and went back into the booth to cast her own vote before it got crowded. Under the special provision for election volunteers, she had filled the form 12 A to obtain an Election Duty Certificate with which she could transfer her vote to the same booth.

In each of the six constituencies there were special women–run booths. One such booth for Kothrud constituency was at Cummins College of Engineering. (Express photo by Arul Horizon)

Sitting outside making conversation are Anganwadi worker Pushplata Sherde and 12-year-old Samira whose father has gone inside to vote. Sherde is here on election duty and her task is to take care of the children while their parents go to cast their vote. One such Anganwadi worker is posted at each poll booth. She works at an anganwadi centre in Karve Nagar and her election duty is at the Cummins College booth. She said that sometimes “parents do not have any option but to bring along their children. Once here, they can neither take the children inside the booth, nor would they be comfortable leaving their child with a stranger. That is why we are given the duty of taking care of them while their parents are voting inside.”

While she was told that she would be given a room to sit with the children, all she has for now is a small table and bench. However, she expects there will not be much of a rush and things will go smoothly. Sherde’s shift is from 7 am to 2 pm after which she will go to Paud Road where she has to cast her own vote. She was not aware of any provision of Form 12A or transferring of vote, she said.

In the centre of the entrance hall is a rangoli that says ‘Celebrate the nation, honour the women!’ On the other side there is Sumitra Phulsare, a nurse at PMC who is on election duty. She is assisted by Pallavi Waghmare, an ASHA worker. They are to be on duty from 7 am to 6 pm.

“Any medical emergency, from fainting spells to asthma attacks, dehydration or headaches, our duty is to be prepared and ensure that the voting happens without any untoward incidents. So far nothing has come up and we hope it stays that way,” said Phulsare.

Both of their own votes, however, are to be cast over 16 km away in Balewadi. Waghmare said, “We were not told about any provisions of transferring the vote. We will ask for a two-hour break to go to our own polling booths to vote.”